Vale go through in the Staffs Senior Cup
Port Vale Ryan Boot, Kyle Clarke, Aziz Deen–Conteh, Dan Wakeham, McKenzie Faulkner, Lewis Bergin, Billy Reeves, Enoch Andoh, Jonathon Kapend, Dan Turner (Omar Haughton 77), Ryan Lloyd (Chekaine Steele 44).Reserves:
Subs not used: Calum Ferrie, James Gibbons, Luke Lewis.
Norton United:Chris Fletcher, Sam Bradbury, Paul Taylor, Richard Smith, Ben Clarkson, Jon Beaumont (Jamie Skellern 82), Niall Green, Glyn Blackhurst, Lee Cropper, Michael Lennon (Kieron Ball 70) Leigh Skellern (Kyle Diskin 65).
minute a Norton attack was only partially stopped and the ball arrived at Lennon’s feet just outside the area. His shot was saved by Boot’s outstretched foot and Vale gave away a foul on the edge of the area as the ball came out; Boot was called into action again to tip the resulting free kick over the bar.th shrugged of his defender but then saw his shot was safely gathered by Fletcher. and another cross was soon blasted across the box beating everyone. Wakeman was in the book after only 8 minutes after a second hefty challenge as the early play was end to end. In the 15 A very young Vale team faced up to Norton United in the quarter-final of the Staffs Senior Cup at Vale Park hoping that Norton’s success in the FA Cup would not extend into this competition. Norton almost scored after a couple of minutes but Beaumont just failed to connect with a Taylor cross that Boot also missed. Vale were quick to respond as Dan Turner brought down a long pass from Lloyd,
Vale’s next effort was a Turner shot from the edge of the box that deflected for a corner and from that the ball reached Bergin out on the other edge of the box and his drive found the side netting the wrong side of the post. After 26 minutes Kapend got put through by Reeves but his shot hit the bar and flew over. Andoh was next to threaten when his clever drive to the near post was pushed around it by Fletcher at full stretch with a very good save. With only a minute of the half left Vale made a substitution as Lloyd limped off to be replaced by Chekaine Steele. There was still time for Vale to take the lead as a Wakeham through ball was chased and appeared to be reaching the ‘keeper but Clarkson stuck out a foot to knock it past the advancing Fletcher and into the net.
minute and he saved the follow up effort as well.thNorton’s first chance of the second period came after some congested play down the left hand side and the eventual shot was deflected over for a corner. The corner was worked away to the far end where Andoh was closed down and a corner for the vale resulted. Vale kept up the pressure and Kapend was fouled out on the touchline but Andoh’s free kick was easily cleared. An Andoh shot from distance was very well saved at the foot of the post by Fletcher in the 54
minute as Cropper beat Boot from close range to keep the game alive. With 8 minutes remaining the ball reached Cropper at the far post but he stabbed his shot just the wrong side of the post from 8 yards. Vale should have sealed it with 2 minutes left as they beat the offside trap with Deen-Conteh taking the ball on to commit Fletcher before squaring the ball top Andoh who side footed it past the post with the goal gaping.rd got the touch with his shoulder to send the ball into the far corner of the net. Norton replied in the 73Kapend minute saw Clarke try to curl a shot into the far top corner but again Fletcher came to Norton’s rescue to tip it away for another Vale corner. Another 2 corners followed and from the second thOn the hour mark Vale pressure saw a Wakeham shot slide past the post through a sea of players. The 68
Vale played out the remaining minutes with little difficulty to move on to a semi-final tie that has yet to be drawn.
REPORT: LINDON ROBERTS – Port Vale Volunteers Group